Circuit-controller.



No. 799,050. 7 PATENTBD SEPT. 12, 1905.

- P. G. HEWITT.

CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLIUATIOK FILED IAB. 'I, 1903.

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Invertior M CM-w- 7 w y J Y Z V Will; esses:

UNITED STATES PATENT o EIoE.

PETER COOPER HEWITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO COOPER HEWITTELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CIRCUIT-CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1505.

Application filed March '7, 1903. gerial No. 146,652.

To all w/Mmt it natty concern:

Be it known that I, PETER CooPER HEWITT, a citizen of the United States,anda resident of New York, county of New York, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvementsin Circuit-Controllers,ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved type of electric switch forcontrolling circuits in which currents of. high potential or largequantity are carried.

The invention is applicable to various different classes of electricalcircuits and has special advantages in connection with powercircuits orcircuits carrying currents of such -voltage and quantity as to render itdifficult to interrupt the main circuit connections by a switch orcircuit-breaker without undue sparking at the contact-plates.

The significant feature of the switch which I have invented is that ofintroducing into the circuit to be controlled the resistance of a gas orvapor electric apparatus under such conditions as will, for example,stop the currentflow in the circuit without the development of anydeleterious sparking and without causing a dangerous rise of potentialin any part of the circuit.

In embodying my invention in a working device I may make use of a gas orvapor electric apparatus in which mercury vapor serves as the conductingmedium between electrodes inside a sealed container. It is now wellknown that apparatus of this character has the property of exhibiting atone electrode a reluctance to starting; but when such reluctance isovercome the apparatus will conduct current down to some lower currentvalue, whereupon the reluctance to starting will be reconstructed and arenewal of the starting-pressure has to be applied in order toreestablish the flow of current. When current is applied to theterminals of the apparatus, an electric strain is produced at or nearthe electrode in question, and if such strain is increased to a criticalpoint the reluctance is overcome and current begins to flow, asdescribed. The critical strain thus added to the strain created by theapplication of current to the terminals may be applied through the'usual startingband, which when placed in proximity to the electrodemodifies the degree of reluctance to starting. The critical strain may,however, be applied through a supplemental electrode or by other means.In case of an alternating current, where it is desired that impulses ofopposite direction should pass through the apparatus, means may beprovided for applying the critical strain to a starting-band in theneighborhood of each electrode or to a supplemental electrode orelectrodes or the like, whereby the several alternations will be causedto traverse the apparatus after successive operations of the criticalstrain in breaking down the described reluctance. It has been found thatwhen a starting-band or supplemental electrode with the describedconnections is present the apparatus will start at a lower linepotential than when such devices or their equivalent are not used.Accordingly an apparatus suitably provided with such aids to startingmay be operated upon currents of definite potential, provided thepotential is high enough to furnish in the first instance the necessarybreaking-down strain.

In one of the embodiments of my invention as herein disclosed I includean apparatus of the class described in an alternating-current circuitcarrying currents from which it is desired to obtain periodic impulsesof high frequency. The potential of the current carried by the circuitis assumed to be high enough to operate the apparatus when thestarting-bands or their equivalent are suitably connected with thecircuit; but it is assumed that when the starting-bands are disconnectedthe potential would be insufficient to operate the apparatus. Thereforethe operation of the apparatus, and consequently the condition of thecircuit in which it is included, is dependent upon whether or not thestarting-bands or their equivalent are connected in circuit. I may thencontrol the circuit by means of a simple key, which either opens orcloses at will the connections of the starting-bands or whatever devicesmay be substituted for such bands in actual practice.

however, be made by means of heat generated by the current passed,whereby the potential required to pass current through the apparatus isincreased beyond the potential of the line. I have illustrated theapparatus as being placed in a shunt-circuit to a switch, on the openingof which current begins to pass through the vapor apparatus and is thenruptured through the action of a magnet. Under such circumstances thegas or vapor apparatus does not form a part of the workcircuit and onlycomes into play when the described switch is operated. The apparatusmight, however, be included in the work-circuit, as in the case alreadydescribed. In that case the magnet might be used to prevent startinguntil the desired moment of starting arrives. The device might then bestarted after cutting out the magnet, and the subsequent rupture of thecurrent through the action of the magnet might be caused at any desiredmoment and without injurious effects. The current might be interrupted,as indicated above, by the automatic action of the device itself-that isto say, the immediate'action of the current itself upon the vapor or gasmay be such as to prevent the current from reestablishing its flow afterit has passed the Zero-point. In many instances the discharge at themoment of interrupting the switch connections will be suflicient tocause an initial flow through the device, thus absorbing thedischarge-spark, which would Referring to the drawings, 1 represents acontainer inclosing a conducting gas or vapor, and 2 and 3 areelectrodes, which are here shown as being contained in tubularextensions of the container. The lead-wires to the respective electrodes2 and 3 are shown at 4 and 5, and they terminate, respectively, incontact-pieces 6 and 7. The mains of the work-circuit are illustrated at8 and 9, these mains being respectively connected to the lead-wires 4and 5. The starting-bands are shown at 10 and 11, and they are connectedby wires 12 and 13 with contact-pieces 14 and 15, respectively. Thecontact-pieces 6, 7, 14, and 15 are so arranged as to be touched by theshank 16 of a key or circuit-breaker having an operating button orhandle 17. The key is pivoted at 1 8. Its position is regulated at thewill of the operator either so that its shank shall be in contact withthe contact-pieces already mentioned or out of contact, as the casemaybe. An insulatingpiece 19 divides the shank of the key into twoinsulated parts, so as to prevent short circuits.

When the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, each of thestarting-bands 10-and 11 is connected with thelead-wire running to theopposite side of the apparatus, and accordingly the conditions aresuitable for the creation of a breaking-down strain sufficient to causethe passage of current in both directions through the apparatus,provided the potential on the mains Sand 9 is high enough. In this casethe potential is assumed tobe sufficiently high for the purpose, butonly under the condition that the starting-bands are connected asdescribed. Should the operator now depress the key and remove the shankfrom contact with the several'contact-pieces, the flow of currentthrough the apparatus would continue only until the zero-point of thewave then passing should be reached, after which no renewed breakingdown of the reluctance would take place, the

result being that the circuit 8 and 9 would be practically opened.

Referring to Fig. 2, the apparatus is here represented with itselectrodes 2 and 3 in the form of columns of mercury, ending in vessels20 and 21 containing mercury. The length of the shanks in which thecolumns are contained is made such that atmospheric pressure will carrythe inner ends of the columns to a height where they can properly serveas electrode-surfaces. The circuit in this instance, as before, is analternatingcurrent circuit having a switch 22 interposed in oneof themains 8. The gas or vapor apparatus'is included in a shunt around theswitch. I here substitute for the starting-bands shown in- Fig. 1 twosupplemental' electrodes 23 and 24:, each of which is connected to thecircuit on the opposite side of the apparatus. The connections of thesupplemental electrodes 23 24c areindicated in Fig. 2, where analternating-current generator 26 is shown as being connected to the main8, including translating devices 28 28, while the electrodes 23 24 areconnected through anautotransformer 27 with the op posite side of thecircuit. As a means for rupturing the circuit I make use of anelectromagnet 25, whose circuit is controlled by a switch26. The effectof the magnet is to defleet the current passing through the apparatus,andI have found that its effect may be made large enough to actuallyrupture the current and interrupt the flow through the apparatus. Inoperation when the switch 22 is closed no current passes through thevapor apparatus. On opening the switch 22 the current in the maincircuit passes through the conducting-gas in the chamber 1 inalternating phases, it being understood that the current is ofsufficient volume and electromotive force to break down the electrodereluctance, except when the circuit through the switch 22 is closed. Theaction as a whole may be described as follows: The switch 22is openedand current begins to fiow through the vapor apparatus, after which theswitch 26 is closed, energizing the magnet 25, whereupon the current inthe chamber 1 is deflected sufliciently to rupture the circuit.

The magnet 25 may be supplied from any suitable source. It may bereplaced by an adjustable permanent magnet, if desired. The action inrespect to the effect of the magnet upon the current would be the sameif no by-path were provided, as by the circuit including the switch22that is to say, if the gas or vapor apparatus were normally a part ofthe main circuit. In many instances the magnet will not be required, asthe discharge occurring at the opening of the switch 22 be sufficient tocause a current to pass through the vapor-path, although that path is ofsufficient effective resistance as not to be penetrated by the normalcurrent upon the circuit, so that the harmful discharge which wouldotherwise occur at the opening of the switch 22 will be obviated by thepassage of the high potential-current through the gas or vapor path, butit will cease upon the potential falling to the normal potential of thecircuit.

The modification illustrated in Fig. 3 is simply intended to show anappropriate shape for the vapor apparatus, the form illustrated beinggiven to it for the purpose of making the current pass into theelectrodes nearly at right angles to the surface in order to facilitatethe action of the magnet upon the current. This is done because it hasbeen found that a magnet will have a greater effect upon the current ifits lines of force are arranged as to act upon the current as nearly aspossible at right angles to the line of flow.

It is not intended that the present invention should be limited to thecontrol of alternating currents, as it may be readily adapted to thecontrol of direct currents as well.v

Manifestly the devices illustrated in Fig. 1 for producing conditions ofconductivity and nonconductivity in the gas or vapor might besubstituted for those shown in Fig. 2that is to say, they might beincluded in a shunt-circuit to a switch or any other device, and theywould operate on the same principle in either case. v

The method of rendering a gas or vapor apparatus electrically conductingor non-conducting at will is not necessarily confined to the employmentof means as herein described for applying a critical strain to theapparatus. For example, the same effect may be produced by means whichwill suitably affect the physical or chemical conditions of the gas orvapor, rendering the same conducting or nonconducting, as desired.

Vfhile the action of the apparatus herein disclosedihas been describedmore particularly 'in Fig. 1 has been described as a means of stoppingthe flow of energy in the mains 1 and 2. The'restoration of the key to aposition of contact would start the fiow of energy again in the saidmains.

In a divisional application, Serial No. 168,983, claims are made uponthe apparatus herein described.

I claim as my invention 1. In a system of electrical distributionwherein an inclosed gas or vapor is included, or adapted to be includedin the system, the method of starting or stopping the flow of electricalenergy, which consists in rendering the said gas or vapor conducting ornon-conducting at will with respect to the applied energy.

2. In a system of electrical distribution wherein an inclosed gas orvapor is included, or adapted to be included in the system, the methodof starting and stopping the flow of electrical energy, which consistsin first rendering the gas or vapor conductive with relation to theapplied energy, and afterward making it non-conductive with relationthereto.

3. In a system I of electrical distribution wherein an inclosed gas orvapor is included, or adapted to be included in the system, the methodof rupturing a circuit carrying a current of high potential or largequantity, which consists in shunting a portion of the current throughthe conducting gasor vapor, thereby creating a path of determinateresistance in the shunt-circuit, opening the shunted portion of the maincircuit and afterward rendering the gas or vapor non-conducting withrelation to the energy applied.

4. In a system of electrical distribution wherein an inclosed gas orvapor is included. or adapted to be included in the system, the

method of rupturing a circuit carrying a cur-' rent of high potential orlarge quantity, which consists in shunting a portion of the currentthrough the conducting gas or vapor, thereby creating a path ofdeterminate resistance in the shunt-circuit, opening the shunted portionof the main circuit, and afterward deflecting the current in theconducting gas or vapor so as to cause a rupture thereof.

5. In a system of electrical distribution wherein an inclosed gas orvapor is included, or adapted to be included in the system, the methodof rupturing a circuit carrying a current of high potential or largequantity, which consists in shunting a portion of the current throughthe conducting gas or vapor, thereby creating a path of determinateresistance in the shunt-circuit, opening the shunted portion of the maincircuit, and afterward magnetically deflecting the current in theconducting gas or vapor so as to cause a rupture thereof.

6. In a system of electrical distribution wherein a conducting gas orvapor is included and electrical energy is caused to traverse the gas orvapor in successive impulses running to or through successiveZero-points, by reestablishing the flow after each zero-point, themethod of stopping the flow of energy which consists in preventing thereestablishment of the current after a selected Zero-point.

7. In a system of electrical distribution wherein an inclosed gas orvapor is included in the system and subject to electrical strain by theenergy applied at the terminals thereof, the method of starting orstopping the flow of electrical energy, Which consists in rendering saidgas or vapor conducting or non-conducting at will by applying orwithdrawing a critical strain.

8. In a system of electrical distribution wherein an inclosed gas orvapor is included in the system and subject to electrical strain by theenergy applied at the terminals thereof, the method of starting andstopping the flow of electrical energy, which consists in rendering thegas or vapor conducting or non-conducting at will by applying andwithdrawing a 3 critical strain.

9. The method of interrupting the flow of current through an electriccircuit, which consists in shunting the high potential developed at theinterruption of the circuit through 3 5 a gas or vapor path, anddeveloping in that path a resistance sufficient to prevent the continuedflow of current therethrough.

10. The method of interrupting the How of current through an alternatingelectric cir- 4 through that path by the automatic opposi- 45 tion ofresistance sufficient to prevent the flow of current of the normalpotential of the circuit. Y

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 3d day of 5 March, A. D. 1903.

PETER COOPER HEVVIT".

Witnesses:

M. H. UAPEL, GEORGE H. SrocKBRIDeu.

